ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · hide · content · cabinet · patient · pop · coach · last

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. content — the amount
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. last — final
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — finally
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. last — to go on
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — to visit
  23. content — happy
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com